Keyboard-indicator.



C. II. IIEEVE.

KEYBOARD INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEc. II, I9I4.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEETJ.

CAnLToN H. nEEvE, 'or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

KEYBOARD-INDICATCR.

Specification of Letters Patent. v Patented Feb, 11, 1919,

Application led December 11, 1914. Serial No. 876,669.

To all 'whom t may concern: V

Be it known that I, CARLTON H. RnEvE, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of 'Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyboard-Indicators; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a key-board guide for pianos and organs which is particularly adapted for use in connection with musical scores written by substituting letters front' elevation of a piano and the keyboard n' thereof showing a key-board guide disposed thereon which embodies my invention.

Fig. -2- shows in two fragmentary views, fparts of the keyboard guide on an enlarged scale indicating the differential coloring of the octaves indicated' thereon.

Fig; -3- is an exemplary illustration -of la bar of music as printed in the sheet music constituting a part -of the invention and adapted to be used in conjunction with thekey-board guide illustrated in Fig. -2--.v

In Fig. `3 I have shown an example of .alphabetical music scores in which alpha" betical letters are used in place of the usual note-symbols,l said letters being varied in color to denote the octave of the key-board in which they are located instead of being varied in elevation as in the standard or usual musiepublications. v

The present invention relates 'only to those structural features or characteristics by which the aforesaid particular object is attanedl In the alphabetical scores the keys of the key-board are designated only as white 4and black keys instead of naturalssharps or flats, rlhe symbols indicating the black keys are'distinguished from those indicating the white keys by a distinguishing characteristic, preferably a dash over the letter or other symbol. On the key-board guide the same symbols are used and those denoting and registering with the black keys are similarly distinguished from those indicating and registering with the white keys. Y

The said key-board guide is usually placed to rest .along its lower edge on the white keys of the key-board between the rear ends of the black keys and the board at the rear ends of the keys against which it rests.

The said guide may be made of any suitable material but is preferably made of astiE white paper. The strip A of this material has symbols printed thereon which consistcf capital letters of the alphabet, there being one symbol for each white and each lblack key of the key-board, said symbols being carefully spaced apart to coincide with the spacing of the keys indicated thereby and with which they are adapted to register. Those symbols indicating and registering with the 'black keys are disposed at higher elevations than those indicating the white keys7 thus not only rendering them fully visible but giving them an added or accentuated prominence on the guide. Each of the elevated symbols is surmounted or capped by a dash which distinguishes the same from the symbols indicating the white keys.

ln practice it hw been found that elevating the symbols for the black keys above those for the white keys renders-it far easier for the performer to locate the notes on the key-board in reading the score, that is, it

greatly decreases the liability of confusion and error.

l claim as my invention:

l. A key designation strip adapted to be placed upon and be supported by the keys of a piano or similar instrument, and carrying letter designations for the several keys spaced to register with the keys, the designations of adjacent octaves being shown in contrasting colors.

2. A key designation strip adapted to be placed upon and be supported by the keys I nations of the keys for Ithe several successive of a piano on simi1arinstrument,'and carry- In testimony whereof I have signed my ing` letter designations for the several keys name in presence oftwo subscribing witspaoed to register with the keys, the designesses.

CARLTON H. REEVE;

usual octave divisions being differently ooi- Witnesses: ored and corresponding with the designa- JOHN V. FILII'PINI, tions Vusel in musical scores. HUGH MOCURDY. 

